Bro's before ho's
by Lucyinthesky1996
Summary: Stan rejects Gary when he asks him out, fearing his friends will not accept their relationship. But he soon realises that he shouldn't let other people's opinions overpower his own feelings. My first ever Stary. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

"Stan…_Stan_? Did you hear me?"

"Hmm?" I mumble, turning my eyes for a second to look at Kyle.

"I need a pencil, dammit. I asked you three times already"

"Oh sorry…"

It isn't my fault. I'm stuck in another world. A world of deep desire.

My desire for someone sitting three desks in front of me.

Oh, Gary Harrison. Why do you have this effect on me? What is it about you that makes me lose my mind? Maybe it's your eyes and the fact that I get lost in them whenever they look my way. Or the way you get your hair to smell like a wonderful combination of grapefruit, gardenia, amber and vanilla. Or maybe it's your smile; your smile lights up your whole face. I don't know. But there's something about you that drives me crazy, and I love it.

Jeez, talk about cliché.

Oh crap, he's turned around. And he's giving me one of those dazzling smiles. He knows. He knows that smile makes my heart flutter. Oh Gary Harrison, you sly fox, you like to see me simper like a little girl don't you? Well, your plan is working you naughty bitch.

"Stan? _Hello_?"

"Huh? What?"

"You just gave me one of your retainers."


	2. Chapter 2

Class is over. Finally.

Only one thing to get through before lunch. Getting my crappy locker to close. That's easier said then done. I do my best not to curse out loud but I can't quite manage it. Not a good idea when Mr. Garrison is stalking about.

I can hear someone laughing behind me. How dare they mock me? It's not my fault I have a total bitch for a locker. I turn around to give the cheeky bastard a piece of my mind.

And there he is – Garry Harrison. Oh god, he's so cute. Standing there, giggling with Butters and Pip. What a charming trio they make. I don't care if I've shut part of my jacket in my locker and am currently stuck. I don't care if I look a total jackass. As long as I can stand there and get a good look at him, nothing else matters in the world.

I really,_ really_ need to stop reading poetry.

"Why you staring at 'faggy' boy?" Cartman nudges me, so my jacket comes free and I end up on the floor. Pip and Butters giggle even more.

"Don't call him that" I growl, picking myself up and grinning sheepishly at the three laughing beauties, "And I wasn't staring. I was_ observing_"

"Yeah right. Admit it, you have the hots for Gary"

"What?" I feel my cheeks glowing red, "Dude, I do _not_!"

"Get real Stan, you're a sucker for him. Yesterday in the lunch hall you were so busy looking at his ass; you bit your finger instead of your sandwich"

I glance down at my plastered finger, flexing it painfully. Maybe I _am_ a little besotted with Gary. Well, _very_ besotted. But I'm not prepared to admit it.

"I _don't_ fancy Gary! I-I mean, he's way out of my league anyway!"

"Ahem. If he's so 'out of your league'" Kyle bounces over, putting both hands on my shoulders, "Then why is he hanging around with Butters and Pip of all people?"

I suppose he has a point. Butters and Pip are sweet but don't _quite_ come under the category "popular".

"Because he likes them…" I know I'm clutching at straws here. It's blatantly obvious how I feel.

"Well, I hope he sticks with them" Kyle wrinkles his nose, "He's damn annoying that Mormon. Strutting around as if he's a king. Little bitch" he digs Kenny in the ribs.

"Yeah, have fun with faggy boy" Cartman nudges me again and the colour returns to my cheeks.

I hope that Gary didn't hear our conversation. He's still looking at me. Pip and Butters are nudging him, whispering in his ear. He looks embarrassed, poor thing, and he keeps blushing and shaking his head. Pip gives him one more encouraging push and he's suddenly walking towards me.

_Crap_, he's walking towards me.

I turn around quickly and bang right into my locker door. How I managed that, I will never know.

"Oh gosh, Stan, are you okay?"

I turn around and my cheeks turn the same colour as my sore nose, "Er…hi Gary. Yeah, I'm cool, just erm…"

He giggles, showing off his incredible smile again. The little fluttery feeling returns to my stomach.

"So…" he glances back at Pip and Butters who nod enthusiastically, "…how have you been?"

"Me? Oh, I've been great, absolutely great. Never better, in fact. If someone asked me right now 'Stan, how'd you feel?' I'd say-"

"Stan" he laughs again, "You're burbling"

"Oh, right, sorry"

"You're so sweet" he suddenly reaches out and touches my arm – _gently_ – but it's a touch and that's all I care about, "You know…it's been a while since you came over to my house for dinner. My parents would love to see you again"

"Yeah, that sounds great"

I'm so excited, I could wet myself.

"But I was thinking…" he trails off, looking embarrassed, "…maybe afterwards we could go out? Just the two of us?"

He's looking at me hopefully. It takes a while to sink in but then I realize. He's asking me out. He's actually asking me out.

I'm ready for this. I'm ready to scream yes to the world.

But for some weird reason, only two things came into my head at this moment.

"_He's damn annoying that Mormon. Strutting around as if he's a king. Little bitch"_

"_Have fun with faggy boy!"_

My friends hate Gary. They're bastards about him when he's my friend. How would they react to him if he was my _boyfriend_?

Gary's still looking at me, oblivious to my doubtful mind. I sigh and fix him with an apologetic grin.

"Wow, that sounds nice Gary…" I rack my brains for a good excuse, "…but I just remembered I need to help my dad around the house. He um…can't reach the salt without me holding the stepladder"

The smile fades from his lips and he gives me an odd look. I know I'm talking utter shit, but I couldn't think of anything else. He sinks his teeth into his bottom lip and his eyes suddenly fill up with water.

"That's okay" he says, his lip trembling. He tries to smile again but it comes out wonky, "Perhaps another time, yeah"

"Sure thing"

He turns and walks away stiffly. The smiles disappeared from Butters and Pip's face as he walks swiftly past them without even giving them a glance. They give me a questioning look before running after him.

I give it a moment or two before turning and bashing my head against my locker door until a very nice dent is made right in the middle.


	3. Chapter 3

I felt like crap for the rest of that day. For weeks I'd been waiting for this moment, and now it'd come I'd gone and rejected Gary. Boy, I felt like an asshole. What is _wrong_ with me? I've never let my friends talk me out of anything before. Why was it so different this time?

I think I know why. That saying, "Bro's before hoes"

That's been a sacred promise within our friendship group. We'd never let a hoe come between any of us.

Perhaps it was for the best anyway. I and Gary could still be friends without me losing my friendship with the others. Yeah, it was going to be tough and slightly awkward between us for a while, but as long as the guys weren't mad at me, that was okay. It wasn't what I wanted, but what can you do?

I went and joined the others in the lunch hall and noticed Butters and Tweek glaring at me from the table opposite. It was quite intimidating. Especially when there was a tap on my shoulder and when I turned around Pip gave me a pathetic, but not quite soft slap on the cheek.

"I hope you're happy!" he said a little too loudly, "You completely _broke_ Gary's heart! He's been dwelling over asking you out for weeks and the one day he decides to go for it, you give him the lame old 'dad needs help with the stepladder' excuse?"

I'm not used to Pip shouting. I held my arms up in defense, "Look, Pip, I can explain-"

"Do you know where he is right now? He's locked himself in the boy's bathroom of all places! He's been in there since the start of lunch, _crying_!"

God, _that _made me feel like a dick.

"Look, Pip, tell him I'm sorry"

"Sorry? _Sorry_?" Pip got on his tiptoes so he was inches away from my face. Luckily, he's a lot shorter than me, "I'll give you sorry!"

I'm pretty sure his tiny little fists wouldn't have been able to inflict much damage onto my body, but I was still grateful that his boyfriend Damien came and gathered him up before things got out of hand. I groaned and slumped back down into my seat, irritated by the others staring at me.

"What the fuck was that all about, man?" Cartman barked, "Did you get Gary pregnant or something?"

"_No_" I rubbed my eyes with the balls of my hands, "Look, guys, I don't want to talk about it"

"Gary asked you out?" Kyle blinked at me.

I sighed, "Yeah, yeah, and I said no, okay? I said no. I really wanted to say yes but I didn't cos I knew you guys would get pissed. Well, you have nothing to worry about now cos Gary probably doesn't want anything to do with me anymore and you don't have to worry about him coming between us again. So I hope you guys are happy. You have me all to yourself. You'll never have to see Gary again. So you think I did the right thing, right?"

Kyle stared at me, "You said _no_?"

I expected praise. It didn't come.

"Freaking hell, Stan. What'd you say no for?"

I blinked at him, confused, "But-but I thought-"

"Yeah, Gary's a show-off, but have you _seen_ his ass? You don't find an ass like that on any kind of woman my friend!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, "But-but you guys_ hate_ Gary!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you can't go out with him. As long as he's your bitch, it's all cool with me" Kyle leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah, what were you thinking Stan?" Cartman twisted in his seat.

"Oh c'mon man, you hate Gary's guts!"

"Yeah, but he's hot. He's faggy, but he's hot. You missed a hot one there Stan…he's hot"

I felt like I was going to faint, "Kenny, don't tell me you-"

A nod came as a reply.

I felt something sink to the bottom of my ribcage and realized it was my heart. In the heat of that moment, there were only a few words I could actually find the strength to say.

"Holy shit dude…"


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, have you seen Gary?" I asked Craig at the end of school.

"No, he went to Tweek's house. But he doesn't want to see you Stan, he's really upset. He thinks you find him unattractive and that's why you wouldn't go out with him"

"_What_?" I squeaked, "Unattractive? You wouldn't find thighs like that on Britney Spears!"

"I know right" Craig licked his lips, "That Mormon sure is something"

"Hey, you _have_ a boyfriend in case you don't remember"

"Yeah, but Tweek is so delicate I'm scared I'll spoil him. If Gary is going free-"

"He's not" I said determinedly, "Not if I can help it"

Tweek's house was a hell of a long way away. I realized that I needed to start working out a bit more. If I wasn't careful, sooner or later I'd find myself as fat as Cartman.

Tweek opened the door swiftly and closed it as soon as he saw me.

"Wait!" I said, jamming my foot in the door (not the most painless idea,) "Please, just let me talk to Gary!"

"He doesn't want to talk to you. He wants nothing to do with you anymore. You damaged his self esteem!"

"I didn't mean to. Please, just let me see him"

"Not on your life!"

I had to think fast, "Hey look, is that Craig having dry sex with a lampshade?"

It's a good thing Tweek isn't the sharpest crayon in the pack. I dodged past him as soon as he turned his back on me and ran up the stairs to his room. Butters and Pip were in there, sitting on his bed, gossiping about gay things. They stopped when they saw me. And sitting in between them was Gary. His cheeks flushed bright red when he saw me.

"Gary" I stuttered, "Please, let me explain-"

"Hey, this is _my_ house!" Tweek came running up behind me, "You can't barge in like that! Intrusion!"

"Gary, listen, I'm sorry I rejected you but it wasn't because I thought you were unattractive!"

"Stan, please" Gary's eyes were welling up again, "I don't feel like talking right now"

"Look, I'm really sorry I hurt you-"

"_Hurt _him? You crushed his dreams!" Pip said, being overdramatic as usual.

"But it was just because my friends-"

"Oh I see" Butters put his hands on his hips, "This 'bro's before hoes' crap? You are so _selfish_ Stan, I can't believe you!"

I was outnumbered, four to one, "Gary…please. I love you"

He stared at me, as if I'd just insulted him.

"…Stan, just go" tears were beginning to seep down his cheeks, "Please, just leave me alone"

"You heard him" said Tweek, "Now if you don't mind, I'd like you to _leave_"

Not knowing where to look, I stared at the floor. I suddenly seemed too big for my boots. I glanced up again and Gary was sobbing into Pip's neck, with Butters rubbing his shoulders. Tweek was still holding the door open.

I knew there was nothing I could do. I knew I had to leave.


	5. Chapter 5

"What's wrong with you man?" Cartman nudged me at recess the next day, "You sure Gary isn't preggers? Jesus, imagine what your children would look like-"

"I'm not ever going to get him pregnant!" I yelled, slamming my fists against the wall.

He blinked at me, an eyebrow raised.

"I mean…" I stuttered, feeling a right idiot.

"I get it man. Who needs him anyway? There are plenty of other hot guys in this shithole. Not as hot as your Mormon mind you, but almost as hot"

"I don't want anybody else" I said miserably, "I want _Gary_"

"Well, what's stopping you?"

"Hmm, I dunno. Maybe the fact he HATES me?"

"Alright dude, chill, don't have a cow. Jeez, you act as if this kid is worth dying for"

"I can't help it" I whined, "He's just so-"

"Hot? Yeah, I can agree with you on that. Boy, is he hot. Y'know I wouldn't mind one of those myself. Even if he is a little faggy-"

"Alright, alright, you made your point"

"Look, instead of sitting around here with a face like shit, why don't you go and win him back?"

"Win him back?"

"You _know_, flatter him, sweep him off his feet, get him eating out of your hand, all that crap"

"I dunno…"

"Look Stan" all of a sudden he had me by the shoulders, ramming me up against the wall; "You love this boy don't you?"

"Yeah…"

"You wanna hold him?"

"Yeah-"

"_Please_ him?"

"Yeah!"

"Knock him up so you can have beautiful little shitheads together?"

"Yea- wait, come again?"

"Then you need to _fight_ for that bitch!" he let me go so I slid down the wall onto the floor, "Otherwise, someone else'll have that hot little ass of his!"

"Yeah"

"So what're you going to do?"

"Fight for him"

"Come on, like you mean it!"

"I'm gonna _fight_ for him, motherfucker!"

"That's the spirit. And you're in luck. There's the bitch now!"

I turned and saw Gary walking by himself through the playground. At the sight of me, he turned and quickly walked into the school building.

"No time to sit around!" Cartman pulled me onto my feet and pushed me in the direction of the school, "Now get your ass over there and win your slut back!"


	6. Chapter 6

It was hard work finding Gary but I managed to catch a glimpse of him slipping into one of the empty classrooms.

"Gary?" I said gently, entering in after him.

He was sitting on one of the desks, hunched up, facing away from me.

"Stan…please leave me alone"

"No until you hear me out"

He sighed but patted the space next to him. I went and sat beside him on the desk. There was a pause which was my cue to begin.

"When you asked me out Gary, I was really happy and I wanted to say yes. But, you see, I was worried my friends wouldn't accept us going out cos they think you're fa- erm…a little different. I really wanted to go out with you Gary and I still do. I guess I just let other people's opinions get in the way of my own feelings. It doesn't matter what other people think of us. All that matters is that we're happy together. I'm really sorry I hurt you Gary and before you ask – no, I don't think you're unattractive. Believe me, you're anything but. I just hope you can forgive me and do me the honour of going out with me"

I'm not used to long speeches like that. I'm not sure Gary was either. He blinked at me in surprise and then smiled awkwardly.

"That was really sweet Stan" he said quietly, "but the thing is…I don't want to come in between your friends"

"It doesn't matter what they think" I said, taking his hand, "And anyway, they were the one's who talked me into going after you in the first place"

"But…they hate me"

"Yeah, but they think you're hot"

"Oh, well, fair enough"

"So, is that a yes then?"

"To what?"

"To going out with me?"

"As long as I'm not getting in the way"

"Believe me, you're doing anything but"

"Then yes, Mr. Marsh" Gary giggled, turning around and putting his arms around my neck, "I _will _go out with you"

I laughed and before I knew it, I'd pressed our lips together. I blushed when I realized what I was doing and pulled back.

"I'm sorry, I-"

I was silenced by a finger on my lips.

"Don't stop…"


	7. Chapter 7

"Stan?"

I turned around and saw Pip, Tweek and Butters standing in a line in front of me, looking up at me in an intimidating manner.

"Um…hi girls – I mean guys!" I stammered, my face flushing. Jeez, why did I find these three 'little' people so scary?

"We just heard you're dating Gary now" said Pip.

"Yeah. I heard it from Craig who heard it from Christophe who heard it from Damien who heard it from Pip" said Tweek, arms folded.

"We just wanted you to know we're cool with it" said Butters.

"Oh…" I scratched the back of my head, "…well, that's good-"

"And we also want you to know that if you do_ anything_ to hurt our Gary-" he grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me forwards so our noses were practically touching, "- we'll make sure you won't be having any children in the future. Capiche?"

I nodded, struggling to breathe.

"Alright you guys" Gary stepped in, giggling at me, "I can take it from here"

The little Devils gave me a wave and then scurried off to their own boyfriends.

"Sorry about that" Gary put his arms around my neck, "It's like having three little overprotective sisters"

"Tell me about it. They seem all set to cut my balls off"

He giggled and kissed me, the warm sweet kiss I'd been waiting for all day. There'd been something I'd been dying to say since we'd first started going out.

"I love you" I whispered to him, when we'd broken the kiss.

He pressed our foreheads together, running his lips against mine, "I love you too"

"Get a room, motherfuckers!" Kyle yelled over teasingly, his arm around Kenny, "If you're going to make out like that right in front of us, at least invite us to your wedding first!"

I ignored him and dipped Gary sideways, making sure they saw the full view of our tongues. I didn't give a shit if they saw. What did it matter what anyone else thought anyway? I had Gary –_ finally_ – and he had me. And he was all I wanted.

Then I heard Cartman mutter to Kyle;

"I bet you five bucks that Gary is preggers. Who's buying?"


End file.
